Generic Name: Invega Sustenna for Schizophrenia (paliperidone)
Invega Sustenna for Schizophrenia Reviews
"I got this shot by doctors that had no clue, and I had no idea what I got. This shot gave me lower IQ, worse memory, slower thinking, loss of emotions, depression, high level of prolactin, erectile dysfunction, no sperm at all, and also anxiety. My memory used to be extremely good, and I had high IQ, but now I have a hard time remembering things, and my IQ dropped significantly on IQ tests. I'm going to report them to the police and file a lawsuit. All of this by a shot I shouldn't have gotten at all. Ban it, please, and don't let others go through the same hell as I did."
"This drug rendered me bedridden with no interest in life. I went from being an opinionated, funny guy that could read your emotions and make just about anyone laugh, or at least smirk. I've always been very emotional, and this drug sucked my soul, will to live, and emotions right out of me. I'm left an empty shell of who I was. This drug is referred to as a chemical lobotomy for a good reason. It shuts down all free thoughts, the voice in your head, your conscience disappears. With nothing to say, no interest in anything, no thoughts, no emotions, you as a person just about stop existing. No feeling of gratitude, accomplishment, satisfaction. Your thought process and basic decision-making skills are destroyed. I've been off this drug for about 5 months now, and I'm not seeing too much relief. The fear of 'being like this forever' is a constant fear that never lets up, since this isn't a life, this is merely existing. My plea and advice to you? Stay away from this medicine."
"I took 6 injections over a 6-month period. I didn't notice much in the first couple of months. It helped with the paranoia, I still heard voices to a lesser extent. Around the 5th month, I had noticed I gained 50 lbs (115 to 165). It happened so rapidly. I also began to lactate. That was all horrible, but the worst of it was the severe anhedonia. They wanted to slowly taper me off the injection, but I refused to take any more after the 6-month period. I felt mentally slower. I got no pleasure from listening to music or watching TV. I stopped laughing. This is just my personal experience, but if you look up this medicine, you will find there are many people who have gone through a similar experience. It's been 14 months since my last injection, and I think I have mentally fully recovered. I think this drug is too potent. I am almost certain it gave me some sort of brain damage. One of the biggest regrets of my life is taking this drug, I was better off before."
"Worst experience of my life. I can't describe all of the side effects I had on Invega Sustenna in 1000 characters, but my mind was disturbingly blank on this medication. It was as if all of my conscious thoughts were gone. I gained 25 pounds even though I just got the initial dose & lost muscle. My delusions did go away so it worked for that, but it felt like it was because my thoughts stopped. I've gotten 4 sprains and one pulled muscle since I got injected with this 'poison' at the end of August last year. My skin started flaking off and my hair was falling out. I couldn't feel any emotions. I was unable to orgasm for the first month. There were more side effects, and I don't think I fully conveyed the desperation I felt on this medication. I would like to let people who have gotten on it and hate it that there is hope and you will get better - once you are off it."
"To anyone who has lost their life like I have to this drug, what is the recovery wait time when you stop it? Does this ever get better? Do I ever get the sensitivity in my penis back? Is there any way to treat it? 3 months ago, I took my last of 2 Invega injections and I would be thankful for positivity from this nightmare of a lifestyle I have. I lost my instinctive tendencies and so many more side effects a lot like I’ve been reading and just would like to know, does it get better? It feels like my instincts were taken away, and I have to put a lot more effort into focusing on things."
"I've taken this for 3 and a half years and I noticed I have a ridiculously bad memory. I will start a sentence 'I remember this one time,' then I won't know what I was talking about in mid-sentence - I forget what I'm talking about. I don't know if I have a sex drive because I have no partner, and I gained 40 lbs. I don't have an appetite, I don't feel hungry, yet still I'm overweight, probably because my body thinks it's starving and I gain weight when I do eat. I have to make myself eat what feels like gross food even though it's good food. I have no feelings, my emotions are numb. This medication did help my paranoia though. I've become fat and forgetful."
"Where do I start with the side effects of Invega Sustenna? Sexual dysfunction, yes, my penis is useless, I feel like a 2-year-old. I have severe anhedonia (loss of pleasure), I have put on 20 kg, I sleep for 11-12 hours a day, and just overall feel terrible. My memory is horrible, I’m depressed, and I just feel like I am not living some days. Whatever you do, do not take this drug. Other antipsychotic drugs are better, they don’t all have the same effects, so just try aiming elsewhere."
"If I could rate this medication a 0, I would. Going on this medication was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I have bipolar I disorder and suffered a severe manic episode that didn’t respond to Seroquel or Risperdal. The psychiatrist prescribed me Invega, and while it got rid of my mania and psychosis, it completely altered my personality. I had absolutely no emotion at all. I did not feel any sort of joy or happiness. Not to mention, I gained at least 20 pounds (I’m a very active 24-year-old). The suicidal thoughts were so severe that I needed to be hospitalized. The absolute worst part is that even when you stop Invega, it stays in your system for months. It has an extremely long half-life. If you want to be a zombie and lose interest in everything you ever loved, then take this medicine. If you’d like to be a productive member of society, avoid this medication at all costs. Find another medicine."
"The one positive effect of this drug (Invega Sustenna 150 mg every 4 weeks) is that it controls my hallucinations and delusions. But the trade-off is really hard to bear. I’ve lost all the joy in my life, the anhedonia is so bad that I have to live in a constant state of pretending to be happy because I am now unable to feel any kind of happiness or pleasure, especially from activities I once enjoyed very much. I can’t recall things and my memories have evaporated. I feel blunted and flat all the time. I can’t function in a meaningful way, and feel more depressed than I ever have in my life. I’ve gained lots of weight, lost muscle tone, yet I feel agitated like I want to jump out of my skin all the time. Being on this medication is a living nightmare. I am 43 and feel like life has come to a screeching halt."
"I had a psychotic episode from drug use. They made me take an injection, and I feel like it was the worst drug possible. I honestly can't explain how bad the side effects are. You get a weird smell, irregular heartbeat, no energy, no sex drive, and you feel dizzy all the time. I am off of it now, and I am hoping I can feel better again."
"I was misdiagnosed due to an incident. Ever since I got this injection, I’ve been feeling less of myself. I’ve gained weight, at least 90 lbs, no emotion, barely sleep at night (5 hours), foggy mind, can’t think, bad concentration, less dopamine, shortness of breath, no creativity, and no personality. What’s the point of having a medicine that has worse side effects than the problem?"
"This medicine is horrible. Every time I take it, I am unable to work out. I can't even run a mile, I am so weak. I get restless leg syndrome, fatigue, weight gain, and blurred vision. I'm done taking medicine, sick of it."
"Bad drug, it increases prolactin levels by a lot. In fact, this drug ranks among the highest drugs that increase serum prolactin levels, and a massive increase in prolactin levels reduces your testosterone by a handful. Don't expect to have a baby while on this medication. Don't expect an erection. Don't even bother with sex drive, that's for losers anyway. A massive decrease in libido. In short, this drug, among a few other antipsychotics, will leave you feeling like a mix between a two-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl."
"I now have a deadly and nontreatable heart condition called a Left Anterior Fascicular Block (LAFB) due to overprescribed high doses of Invega and not being diagnosed 3 years in a row with hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and extremely high triglycerides) and hyperprolactinemia (abnormal hormones causing loss of erection and sperm production) and 'reduced function' stage 2 kidney damage, as well as 65 lbs weight gain, none of which was diagnosed or referred to a PCP for treatment. Now I am without a treatment plan, and my fate is sealed. Bad drug period."
"I personally don't like this medication at all. It is simply impossible to stay lean and fit while taking it. Does it manage your symptoms of bipolar/schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder? Yes. But myself and I believe many other people get to a point where they want to move on with their life after years of mental clarity. This drug will prevent that and prevent you from living a healthy lifestyle. It's been proven to elevate blood lipids to unhealthy levels and, in some cases, cause heart dysrhythmia. It's a good medication to stabilize patients with the mental illnesses listed above, but I truly believe this medication should not be prescribed long-term, especially if the individual prescribed it has managed their symptoms for multiple years."
"It works! but you have to want it too. Mental illness is an illness of the brain. The mind.. So you have to couple your taking of available meds and therapy. You have to change the way your mind works and thinks. Think on purpose for up to an hour a day by repeating a phrase or quote such as if you're a voice hearer repeat up to an hour a day (I cannot hear voices, they aren't real) x repeat. Fish oil, good sleep, eat healthy and exercise every other day. Look after yourself and work your thought life out. I have schizophrenia, Bi-Polar and depression and hold 2 small businesses that I run for most of my work-week (Music Studio owner operator and Stock Market Trader) I've had schizophrenia for 14 years and for 7 of those years ran a highly successful business where I used to live (talking 7 figures) EAT healthy! THINK right, Exercise AND Do what you know you should! positive positive positive. you CAN do this!"
"I started taking this medication as a monthly injection for hearing voices/paranoia, and I took it for about 6 months. It made me gain 40 lbs, I lost all sex drive, my mind became foggy, and I felt mentally slower. I also got severe anhedonia and became unable to feel the effects of alcohol and cigarettes. I don't recommend this medication to anyone. I've been off it for 4 months and am still dealing with the side effects of this medication. I will say that it did reduce the voices significantly, but only because it's such a powerful mind-numbing drug. I would advise trying something else if you really need a medication. Basically, a chemical lobotomy."
"Warning: this shot will destroy your life. I only had 1 shot, the 234 mg. I dropped out of school, became depressed. It's been 3 years, and I still suffer from absence of emotion. It doesn't sound like much, but trust me, life becomes empty without emotions. In some cultures, hallucinations are a sign from beyond. People that can hear or see things will often become shamans, medicine men, or healers. I highly recommend meditation and/or seeing someone that is an energy healer."
"Invega Sustenna nearly ruined my life. If I had given myself the choice between a life without the capacity to feel or be present while the rest of the world ignored my problem, or manage myself holistically with smaller challenges, I would have chosen the latter. Also note that breast milk develops in most patients and it took nearly a year of removing the drug/pharmaceutical from my system to put an end to that nightmare. Choose what you put into your body wisely."
"I was injected twice with Invega Sustenna. I had no sex drive, no emotion, no pleasure for the first three weeks. I was miserable, and it lasted 8 to 9 months off the drug. I wouldn't recommend this drug to anybody. I am on Abilify Maintena now, and I am feeling much better. 0/10 Invega Sustenna."
"Gained 40 lbs in two weeks right after taking it. Made me pale (I'm olive complexion). Made anxiety horrible for a few months (could not stop moving around). Messed up sleeping habits for a few months. Stopped my periods for three months in a row. Never had problems with any of these things before taking. Been off for ten months now, just now getting back to close to normal."
"Miserable all the time on this Invega injections from several side effects. I'm mentally blank like poverty in thoughts I'll sit around a lot staring at tv while mindless. I have no emotions except anxiety and akathisia which is chronic restlessness. I take inderal blood pressure medication to treat akathisia. Feel like an emotionless robot going through the motions and barely alive. Poor memory, focus, learning and concentration. Feel physically numb. Gained 40 pounds. No sex drive and no libido. No interest and motivation to do anything."
"DON'T GIVE UP. I have autism asperger's ADHD PTSD OCD. I am an artistic recluse with an IQ in the top 1% . I am terrified of doctors nurses + hospitals I was sleepy + tearful. They noted two facts and said I was delusional and deprived me of my freedom. I had 2 injections without a formal diagnosis. The 1st caused anxiety, depression, insomnia, agitation + hyper vigilance. My second in my arm caused extreme pain in neck, slurred speech, frequent drooling, constant pain at base of skull, blood in urine, swelling of ankles and face, extreme physical fatigue and sleeping 15 hours a day. I forgot what I was saying, was unable to spell and was curled in a ball shaking with fear. And a few months ago I wanted to swim out into the ocean at sunrise .. BUT ..i read these stories + knew i just had to wait. I did everything I should as a discipline. I ate though I had to force the food down. I cried for the person I knew I had been - optimistic + resilient + creative + productive. It destroyed me beyond repair . I may never trust a human being again."
"I've been on this drug/medicine for about two years, and it has caused a lot of problems in my life. It barely helped with the auditory hallucinations such as the voices and paranoia. I feel like a zombie all the time, really tired, drained of energy, and like my brain is slowed down. I've had little to no sex drive (sexual dysfunction) and have no pleasure from sex. Within the first couple of weeks of getting the injection of Invega Sustenna every month, I get muscle stiffness in my neck, arms, and hands. I feel like I can't breathe, along with a rapid heartbeat and a fever. I become confused, unable to function, dizzy, and lightheaded. This happens two to three times a month within a few weeks after getting the injection. I believe it might be because of NMS (neuroleptic malignant syndrome), which is a rare side effect of the drug/medicine that might cause death. This is a horrible drug/medicine for me. I'm going to try a different medicine from a different doctor and hope for the best."
"Invega Sustenna was a horrible experience for me. This medication caused me to gain 20-30 pounds. It stopped my monthly cycles. I was also not able to experience sexual pleasure. This medication ruins lives."
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